My Story
Hello!
I am Cait.
I am a Registered Nurse, Family Nurse Practitioner, wife, mother, outdoor adventurer, and athlete.
I am also a recovering perfectionist and people-pleaser. I bet parts of my story sound a lot like your own story.
I’ve worked in emergency rooms and urgent care clinics for 16 years. I also did traveling nursing, which took me to 5 different hospitals in 4 different cities. Like many of you, I have seen and experienced A LOT. While I wouldn't change the adventures, joy, or camaraderie I've been privileged to experience, life as a healthcare worker comes with a type of stress you probably know all too well. Not to mention that much of the work can be traumatic, with little time to recoup your own wellbeing before the next crisis. Somewhere along the line, I started using alcohol to cope with the stress. I believed it relaxed and de-stressed me. But it also made me feel sick, tired, and unmotivated.
My Journey
Over the years, I got married and had a child. As my lifestyle and priorities changed, it became more and more clear that alcohol was no longer serving any positive purpose in my life.
I decided that I wanted to change my relationship with alcohol. I did not want to want alcohol. I did not want to feel like I needed it to relax or have fun. I did not want to feel like I needed alcohol to cope with the stress of parenting and working. But setting down my pint glass turned out to be harder than I expected, especially with mommy wine culture and the 'fear of missing out' constantly thrown in my face by our society.
I needed help to change, but had no idea where to turn. I was scared to say anything to anyone. What did this mean for my family life and my work life? That is when I discovered the book This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. I was so moved by the knowledge I gained from her book, that I completed two coaching programs focused on this material. Through coaching and learning about the neuroscience of behavior change, I was able to become free from my desire for alcohol. What freedom looks like for me is: I can have a drink whenever I want, I just haven’t wanted a drink in over a year.
My Results
Life is stressful, period. Working as a nurse, especially during these uncertain pandemic years, has been traumatic. To add to that, one of our job expectations is to immediately stifle trauma from case #1 and walk into case #2 with a smile our face. But we are never taught to cope with the traumas of our work. As a healthcare professional, I was embarrassed that I couldn’t figure this out on my own. I felt like I 'should know better'. But I didn’t need to feel this way, because you know what?
I am human and I am definitely not perfect!
When I decided to try coaching, I was terrified to tell my story. What would people think? Yet, with a little time and energy, my mindset shifted. I discovered how freeing authenticity can be and I started to meet my goals. My vision of ideal health started to match my way of being. I can't wait to help you find this alignment too.
If you have turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms, there is nothing wrong with you. If you need a little help to change your habits, you are probably feeling alone, but trust me, you are not the only one! I’ve been there.
Let's talk about it on a Free Discovery Call!
